


merry christmas (i don’t want to fight tonight)

by gothyringwald



Series: harringrove holidays [3]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Christmas, Established Relationship, Insecurity, Jealousy, M/M, Mistletoe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-09-13 20:41:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16899540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gothyringwald/pseuds/gothyringwald
Summary: Billy stands alone by the wall, beer in hand, a string of lights twinkling cheerfully above his head. Across the room Stacy Brent corners Steve under the mistletoe, pointing at it with one artfully manicured nail and smiling suggestively. His stomach turns and his blood heats. He chugs his beer, wipes his hand over the back of his mouth, jaw clenching as Stacy leans in.For the 12 Days of Christmas prompt 'mistletoe'





	merry christmas (i don’t want to fight tonight)

**Author's Note:**

> Here's a little bit of Xmas flangst for you all! I hope you enjoy it. For the prompt 'mistletoe' at the [Harringrove Holiday exchange](http://harringroveholidayexchange.tumblr.com/post/180674953632)
> 
> Please let me know if there are any weird formatting issues because I'm attempting to post this from my phone haha (Also if there are any spelling issues)

Billy stands alone by the wall, beer in hand, a string of lights twinkling cheerfully above his head. Across the room Stacy Brent corners Steve under the mistletoe, pointing at it with one artfully manicured nail and smiling suggestively. There's a shitty Christmas song blaring on the stereo, already making Billy feel like he wants to punch something, but this might be the thing that makes him snap. His stomach turns and his blood heats. He chugs his beer, wipes his hand over the back of his mouth, jaw clenching as Stacy leans in.

At the last moment, Steve turns, so Stacy's lips land just on the corner of his, leaving behind a smudge of candy pink. Stacy giggles and says something that Billy can't hear while Steve shakes his head. There is a flush high on his cheeks and, fuck, it should be Billy making him blush not Stacy.

Billy shoves away from the wall, crushing his empty solo cup, and stalks towards the door. He doesn't look at Steve but he feels Steve watching him as he throws the door open and stomps outside. It's fucking freezing and he should have brought his jacket but he's not going to turn back to get it now.

The cold will focus him, anyway.

Moments later he hears the door open and close and then Steve comes up beside him. 'Fuck, it's cold,' he says, rubbing his arms.

Billy ignores him, staring out across the snow-blanketed backyard. His cigarettes are in his jacket so he chews on his thumbnail, needing something to do.

'What's up?' Steve says, nudging Billy's shoulder.

Billy jerks away.

'Whoa, seriously,' Steve says, moving around so he's standing in front of Billy, 'what's eating you?'

The moon comes out from behind the clouds, shining silver on the white ground. Billy glances at Steve and says, 'You kissed Stacy.'

Steve huffs, breath misting in the air. 'No, Stacy kissed me.' There's still a trace of pink at the corner of his mouth and Billy looks away.

'You let her.'

Steve looks abashed. 'I— Yeah. I didn't know what to do,' he admits. 'I thought it might look weird if I protested. I'm meant to be single, remember?'

Billy stays silent, not looking at Steve. Jealousy and anger bubble away inside him. His hands curl into fists at his sides. 'Whatever,' he says, finally looking up. 'Kiss who you want. I don't care.'

'Yes, you do,' Steve says. He reaches out for Billy, but Billy pulls back, leaving Steve's hand poised in the air between them. His fingers curl into his palm and he drops his arm to his side. 'I'd rather be kissing you. You know that.' When Billy remains silent, Steve adds, 'Right?'

Billy makes a motion with his head that's not quite a nod.

'I can go get the mistletoe and bring it out here.' Steve's mouth is tilted in a half-hopeful half-anxious smile.

Billy rolls his eyes. 'I don't care about the fucking mistletoe, Harrington.' And he doesn't. But the memory of Stacy kissing Steve still coils tight and ugly in his stomach.

'Then what—?' Steve scrubs a hand over his face. 'I'm sorry I let her kiss me. OK?'

It's not OK, Billy thinks. He should be the one kissing Steve, mistletoe or not. And he would, if Steve were—

'Come back inside with me,' Steve says, reaching out to touch Billy's elbow, the barest brush of fingertips, 'and I'll kiss you in front of everyone if that's what you want.'

Billy's stomach jolts at the thought. 'We can't. They'll all see.'

'That's kinda the point,' Steve says. He crosses his arms over his stomach. 'I don't care. I want them to know.'

'We can't,' Billy repeats.

Steve sighs and his shoulders sag. 'Yeah. I know.'

Silence hangs between them, broken only by the muted pop music filtering out of the house. Billy toes at the ground. There's a tightness in his chest. He clears his throat. 'You'd really kiss me in front of everyone?'

' _Yes_. I'm sick of hiding and pretending.' Steve bites his lip. 'Aren't you?'

Billy doesn't answer but the tightness in him ebbs away and all that's left is warmth and longing. He looks back to the house. They're far away enough that he feels safe in hooking his fingers into Steve's belt loops and pulling him close. 'Kiss me,' he says.

Steve's face softens. He cups his hands around Billy's jaw and presses their lips together. His mouth is soft and warm and he tastes like nutmeg. Billy slides his tongue against Steve's and Steve moans, fingers sinking into Billy's hair. A soft heat suffuses Billy, starting in his throat and slowly working its way down to his toes.

Steve pulls back, kisses Billy once, twice, then asks, 'So I'm forgiven?' nose touching Billy's.

'Yeah, I guess so,' Billy says, but the hint of a smile is tugging at his lips.

'Good,' Steve says, 'because I only want to kiss you. Always.'

Billy flushes. He's about to kiss Steve again—he may have wanted Steve's full attention, but the way Steve is looking at him is almost too much—when the door opens and they have to pull away. Put some distance between themselves. It's a couple of girls—Billy doesn't remember their names—who barely glance at Billy and Steve as they stumble past. They only make it a few yards before one doubles over, retching, while the other rubs her back and holds her hair out of the way.

Billy smirks and catches Steve's eye. Steve motions for Billy to follow him, and they both go back inside, the warm air stifling after being out in the cold. Shitty Christmas music is still playing but it doesn't grate on Billy so much now.

'Want a drink?' Steve asks, leaning in close so Billy can hear him over the music. His lips brush Billy's jaw and Billy shivers.

'Sure,' Billy says. They move through the party to the kitchen—Stacy tries to catch Steve's eye but Steve ignores her; Billy sends her a triumphant glare, which makes her frown—and Steve pours them both some beer.

Billy leans back against the counter, one ankle crossed over the other. The beer goes down cold and bitter. It's bracing. Steve stands close by, his arm brushing Billy's every so often. Billy looks at him, sidelong, and his heart thumps hard when Steve smiles.

Billy smiles back, shifts his weight so he's leaning into Steve. Steve touches Billy's wrist with the tip of his pointer finger. The small gesture settles the last of Billy's uneasiness and he lets out a long breath. Maybe they can't kiss in front of everyone else but with Steve warm beside him, and his small, secret smile that's just for Billy, it feels like enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! :) I kind of feel like I saw this scenario in someone's fic last Christmas (you're all going to get Wham! In your head now aren't you? Because I sure have!) but I couldn't find anything on AO3 and that must mean it was on tumblr and I can never find anything on there. Sorry if it's similar to someone else's fic!! (I also just realised it's kind of similar to the ficlet I just posted – am I your guy? - oh well. More drunken insecure Billy is never a bad thing...right)
> 
> Feel free to come find me on tumblr @gothyringwald (I'll be there until the site crumbles completely) :) and I'm [also on pillowfort under the same name](https://www.pillowfort.io/gothyringwald)
> 
> The title is from the song of the same name by The Ramones
> 
> As an aside, I've started a directory for the Harringrove fandom so we don't lose each other. [Here's the google form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfKdbHIidCBYwsFtg6DYjIR_Zmh2L6fhn47xCYkO3siNN_eWQ/viewform) (everything you submit is publicly viewable so please proceed with caution - if you don't want your IRL account linked with your fandom ones don't submit them) and [here's the tumblr post you can reblog](http://gothyringwald.tumblr.com/post/180845658140/harringrove-directory) to spread the word if you think it's a good idea (I'd really appreciate it)


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